West Ham ‘bid’ baffles owner Gold

Sullivan (left) and Gold (right) took over West Ham in 2010

West Ham co-owner David Gold says he is baffled by reports F1 Team Lotus boss Tony Fernandes wants to buy the club – but is interested in talking to him.

Fernandes, a rival bidder when Gold and David Sullivan bought the club, used his Twitter feed to reveal his offer.

“For all you West Ham fans an offer has gone to the present owners of West Ham. Let’s see if they accept,” he tweeted.

“It’s absolute news to me, I certainly haven’t heard any information regarding this – it’s interesting,” said Gold.

Co-owner David Sullivan was, however, more dismissive, telling Sky Sports News: “We’ve received no offer from Tony Fernandes. We think any serious bidder would make it in private.”

Gold said that he echoed Sullivan’s comments and that it was “inconceivable someone would start negotiations this way” but he was open to the idea of the Malaysian airline millionaire joining the club as an investor.

“We’re interested in finances coming into the club, we welcome that,” said Gold.

“I certainly would be very happy to sit down with Tony with a view to him joining the board and bringing in desperately needed finance.”

Fernandes is a life-long West Ham fan but had previously been linked with investing in Norwich, near where his F1 team are based.

Businessman Fernandes received the CBE earlier this year

But two days ago he tweeted: “Can I just say to all. Norwich doesn’t need me and they doing great. Not interested in buying them or any other club. Only West Ham if deal makes sense.”

Meanwhile, newly appointed West Ham manager Sam Allardyce hopes that any change of ownership does not impact on him, as it has done in the past.

“My information, having spoken to David Sullivan, was that he did not want to sell West Ham football club, because it is his club,” Allardyce told Sky Sports News. “It is the club he has always supported.

“That was one of the reasons why I took the job, because I didn’t want any fractions in terms of change of ownership.

“My reputation has already suffered wrongly by new ownerships at Newcastle and Blackburn dispensing of my services when there was no real credibility in that other than the fact that they were new owners and didn’t want me.

“It wasn’t down to results, it wasn’t down to the way I have performed as a manager, so, if that’s the case and that materialises then obviously I am surprised at that.”